Dog Lake Trail

Dog Lake Trail is a 5 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Long Barn, CA that features a lake and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is accessible from June until September.

5.0 miles652 feetLoop

kid friendly

hiking

forest

lake

views

bugs

rocky

Directions from Arch Rock Entrance: Drive northward into the park toward the Yosemite Valley. Turn left on to Big Oak Flat Road and travel almost 9.5 miles to Tioga Road. Turn right on to Tioga Road and travel 39 miles to Tuolumne Meadows. Turn left on to the dirt road that leads to the Lembert Dome/Glen Aulin Trailhead. Walk east from the parking area to the trailhead, which is behind the restrooms.

Easy enough trail with a spectacular ending at the gorgeous Dog Lake. Great if you have limited time in the area. I would like to have spent more time at the lake. Serene hardly begins to capture the feeling there toward sunset.

This is a good trail in Yosemite National Park. The first and last parts are fairly flat, but the middle 0.8 miles has over 600-feet elevation gain with several minor switch-backs; it's no stroll in the park, but it's not awful either. You can add an extra 2.2 miles by catching the Lembert Dome trail about 0.3 miles from Dog Lake. My GPS said just over 5 miles after doing both trails together. The trail gets pretty heavy usage since the trailhead is right along the main road.

Dog Lake is a great short hike in Tuolumne Meadows of Yosemite. The trail itself goes a considerable distance uphill and is a bit uneven, so it's not a walk despite it's length. When you arrive at the lake, you get a nice view of Lembert Dome and the fishing is pretty good there too! As previously noted: if you are sensitive to bugs, bring bug spray.

The Dog Lake Trail is a short but rocky uphill climb from the Lembert Dome Parking area. Good hike if you have a limited amount of time in the Tuolumne Meadows area. The lake is bigger than one would expect. Bring mosquito repellent in the early season.